Live in Montreal 10/22/66, a
two-CD,
20-song set that clocks in at a little more than two hours, is a welcome
addition to the still-growing list of live Phil Ochs releases. It catches this
one-of-a-kind folksinger during a transitional period between his final Elektra
album, Phil Ochs in Concert, and his
first A&M LP, 1967’s Pleasures
of the Harbor, which marks a major step forward.

The
sound quality is excellent and so is the program, which embraces such now-classic
early gems as “I Ain’t Marching Anymore,” “There but for Fortune,” and
“Changes” and also some of the best songs that Ochs had yet to release at the
time of this concert. Among them: Rehearsals
for Retirement’s “Doesn’t Lenny Live Here Anymore,” Tape from California’s “Joe Hill,” and every one of the eight numbers
that would surface on Pleasures of the
Harbor. Those include “Outside of a Small Circle of Friends,” Ochs’s simultaneously
funny and not-so-funny comment on public apathy; and such impressionistic epics
as “The Party,” “Crucifixion,” and the title cut. Live versions of some of
these songs are available elsewhere, but others could previously be found only
on studio recordings.

Ochs
used to jest about his failure to achieve the level of success enjoyed by contemporaries
like Dylan. He jokingly titled one album Phil
Ochs’ Greatest Hits; and on this Montreal set he draws a laugh from the
audience when he calls a song “one of my hits.” You can tell that the
humor is an attempt to mask his hurt and that he can’t understand why he hasn’t
achieved wider recognition for his brilliant work.

I’m
still wondering about that myself. More than 40 years after Ochs’s suicide,
this album underscores just how much we lost with his death. His wit,
imagination, humanity, and social activism set him apart, as does his instantly
recognizable voice. I still miss him. And like Michael Simmons, who wrote the
liner notes for this release, I can only imagine what Ochs would be writing in
the age of Trump.

A Massive Solo Outing from Translator's Steve Barton

Steve Barton—best known as
cofounder of the San Francisco band Translator—makes a strong impression
with the massive (three-CD) Tall Tales and Alibis, due out March 2, which melds punk
and psychedelia with traces of the Beatles. Like many multi-disc albums, this
seventh solo release might arguably have benefited from being pared back a bit, but I’d
be hard-pressed to decide what to cut in this two-hour-long package, which
finds Barton brimming over with good ideas.

The largely upbeat disc one and darker disc two contain stripped-down solo sets that feature Barton on guitar or piano; they sound like demos, but
the kind that get you signed in a hurry. Disc three is a live-in-the-studio band
album that features such musicians as Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello) and
Translator’s Dave Scheff.

There are some gentle ballads here (“Sweet Sweet Sad
Girl” is a standout), but much of this is rough-edged and fast-paced; think
early Elvis Costello, the Clash, and especially Joe Jackson. Most of the songs
(including a version of the Translator hit “Unalone”) are Barton originals but
two covers give a sense of the breadth of his turf: “In the Wee Small Hours of
the Morning,” an old pop song often associated with Frank Sinatra;
and “Dandelion,” the great 1967 Rolling Stones B-side.

BRIEFLY NOTED

The Rex Granite Band, Spirit/Matter/Truth/Lies. This blues/rock outfit is
named for its slide guitarist, whose virtuosic work will keep you coming
back for more. But vocalist Sarah Benck’s performances really deserve equal
billing. She radiates energy and personality on such band originals as “Stop
Doing What You Want” and “What You’re Missing.” Other highlights include the
menacing “Two Trains” and a simmering cover of “Please Send Me Someone to
Love,” the Percy Mayfield chestnut.

Backtrack Blues Band, Make My Home in Florida. Performing live on their
home turf in St. Petersburg, Florida, Backtrack Blues Band serve up a potent
mix of rock-influenced originals and tracks from the likes of T-Bone Walker,
B.B. King, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson. The five-member group
includes a noteworthy drummer, bass guitarist, and rhythm guitarist, but the
main attractions are Sonny Charles, who provides most of the vocals and
terrific amplified harmonica; and lead guitarist Kid Royal, who also handles
some vocal leads. Listening to the album, I occasionally wished the band incorporated
a horn section, but for the most part, these guys have everything they need to
get the job done. This two-disc set delivers the show on both CD and DVD, so
you can watch as well as listen.

Jeff Burger (byjeffburger.com), a longtime magazine editor, has written about music, politics, and popular culture for more than 75 periodicals. His books include Dylan on Dylan: Interviews and Encounters, Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon, Springsteen on Springsteen: Interviews, Speeches…